Tag: Elections

New York Republican representative Chris Collins announced he was suspending his campaign for re-elections, days after federal prosecutors charged him with insider trading.

New York Times reports that Mr. Collins, who initially vowed to stay on the ballot this fall, said that he decided it was “in the best interests of NY-27, the Republican Party and President Trump’s agenda” to suspend his race.… Be Informed

A woman who once ran an upscale New York City escort service will appear on Friday before a federal grand jury that is hearing evidence in the wide-ranging inquiry into ties between Russia and President Trump’s 2016 election campaign, according to a person familiar with the matter.… Be Informed

The Independent reports that the Conservatives have been accused of “trying to rig the next election” after new analysis found that planned changes to parliamentary constituency boundaries would disproportionally benefit the Tories if both main parties won the same number of votes.… Be Informed

Cambodia’s ruling party on Sunday claimed victory in the general election, amid criticism of voter intimidation and the absence of any significant challenger to Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for 33 years.

Sok Eysan, spokesman of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said they had won an estimated 100 out of 125 parliamentary seats.… Be Informed

AFP: Pakistan’s main parties rejected the outcome of elections won by cricket star Imran Khan and announced protests demanding new polls Friday, after foreign observers criticised the pivotal vote over rigging allegations.The announcement by the All Parties Conference (APC), including the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is a fresh obstacle to power for Khan on a day when delayed results finally showed he had won an emphatic victory — though he will need to seek a coalition to form a government.… Be Informed

AP: A Pakistan hospital official says an explosion outside crowded polling station in southwestern city of Quetta has killed 25 people and wounded 40. Jaffer Kakar, a doctor, says five policemen and two children are among the dead. He fears the death toll could rise as many of the wounded are in critical condition.… Be Informed

CNN reports that President Donald Trump, a week after downplaying Russian interference in US elections, said Tuesday he is “very concerned” that Russia will look to impact the 2018 midterm elections and said he believes Moscow will look to boost Democrats this time.… Be Informed

Reuters: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet on Wednesday ahead of a challenging 2019 election, stressing the need to diversify trade away from the United States while leaving key ministers in place.

Polls show the ruling Liberals are facing an increasing threat from the official opposition Conservatives and Trudeau made 11 changes to freshen up his front bench.… Be Informed

The Libya Observer: The United Nations envoy to Libya briefed the UN Security Council on Monday about the latest developments in the country, urging member states to use pressure on “some parties who are still hindering the efforts to hold elections in the war-torn country.”

Salame, who spoke from Tripoli, told the UN Security Council that a recent agreement to resume oil production in Libya will not hold unless key issues concerning the distribution of wealth and endemic plundering of resources are immediately tackled.… Be Informed

The U.S. homeland security secretary said on Saturday there are no signs that Russia is targeting this year’s midterm elections with the same “scale or scope” it targeted the 2016 presidential election.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen spoke at a convention of state secretaries of state, an event that’s usually a low-key affair highlighting voter registration, balloting devices and election security issues that don’t get much public attention.… Be Informed

Labour has opened up its biggest poll lead over the Conservatives since shortly after last June’s general election, as the government’s chaotic handling of Brexit appears to have triggered a dramatic fall in support for Theresa May and the Tories – and a sudden revival of Ukip.… Be Informed

Euronews: Elections are becoming “increasingly datafied” as political parties tap into big data to target their messaging and this could have a “significant impact” at the ballot box, Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said on Wednesday.

Political parties in the UK first use the Electoral Register which gives them the name and addresses of approximately 40 million registered voters.… Be Informed

Mexican ruling party candidate Jose Antonio Meade conceded he had lost the presidential election on Sunday, saying his rival, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, bore the responsibility of the next government and wishing him well.

Opposition candidate Ricardo Anaya also conceded defeat and said he called Lopez Obrador to congratulate him.… Be Informed

Spain said that Barcelona will be the docking port for an aid boat that rescued 60 migrants in waters near Libya but was not allowed to land by both Italy and Malta. A spokesman with the prime minister’s office said the Open Arms boat, run under Spanish flag by the Barcelona-based aid group Proactiva Open Arms, had the right to dock in the eastern city.

TIME: Mexico heads to the polls Sunday in national elections that will likely mark a sharp change in the political direction of Latin America’s second largest economy. It comes at a time of disillusionment for many: incumbent President Enrique Peña Nieto is deeply unpopular, as is his rightwing Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which has ruled Mexico for 77 of the last 90 years.… Be Informed

Financial Times: Matteo Salvini’s position at the heart of Italy’s new coalition government was bolstered after his candidates made big gains in municipal elections, including the capture of a trio of leftwing strongholds in Tuscany from the centre-left Democratic party.

The victories of Mr Salvini’s rightwing alliance in Siena, Pisa and Massa suggest the 45-year old interior minister’s populist, Eurosceptic and anti-immigrant message is attracting more voters.… Be Informed

Speaking in televised remarks from Istanbul late Sunday, 64-year-old Erdogan said “the nation has entrusted to me the responsibility of the presidency and the executive duty.”

He also declared victory for the People’s Alliance, an electoral cooperation between his ruling Justice and Development Party and the small Nationalist Movement Party, saying they had a “parliamentary majority” in the 600-member assembly.… Be Informed

On Sunday Turkish citizens are called to the polls for general elections, initially scheduled for 3 November 2019 and then anticipated as announced on 18 April by a presidential note. In the context of the vote the new head of state will be elected, with a double-shift system; in the event of a run-off, there will be a run-off on Sunday 8 July, to choose between the two majority candidates.… Be Informed